Use of olive oil in the preparation of a product for oral hygiene for eliminating or reducing bacterial plaque and/or bacteria in the mouth

ABSTRACT

The use of olive oil is described in the preparation of a product intended for oral hygiene, for example, a toothpaste, a mouthwash, a spray or oral inhaler or chewing gum, to eliminate or to reduce the bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccal cavity, achieving thereby a reduction in the occurrence of dental diseases (tooth decay, periodontal disease) and halitosis.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention refers, in general, to the employment of olive oil in thepreparation of a product intended for oral hygiene to eliminate or toreduce the bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccalcavity.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bacterial plaque is a thin, colourless and sticky, almost invisible filmthat is being formed continually on the teeth, in the greater part, butalso on the back of the tongue, palate, mucous membrane, vestibule andlips. It is composed of bacteria, saliva and remains of foodstuffs andit is the main cause of the 2 most common dental diseases: tooth decayand periodontal disease. Daily dental hygiene is essential for removingplaque and keeping the mouth healthy.

Tooth decay is a localised infectious process, of external origin, thatcauses the debilitation of the hard tissue (enamel) of the tooth andleads to the formation of a cavity. The main etiologic agent causingthis dental disease seems to be the gram (+) bacteria Streptococcusmutans.

Periodontal disease is a disease that affects the gums and thestructures supporting the teeth. The earliest stage in periodontaldisease is gingivitis and it is characterized by a reddening of the gumsthat become inflamed and bleed easily. If the disease is notappropriately treated at that stage it can develop into periodontitisand cause irreversible damage to the gums. In periodontitis, the mostadvanced stage in periodontal disease, the bone and the tissue thatsurround the teeth are destroyed and pockets are formed in the gums thatare filled with more bacterial plaque. As the disease progresses, theteeth become slack or loose and can eventually fall out or requireextraction.

The main cause of periodontal disease is the bacterial plaque which, ifit is not removed, hardens and builds up on the teeth. The toxinsproduced by the bacteria present in the bacterial plaque destroysupporting tissue around the teeth, the gums loosen and the teethseparate forming the pockets that are filled with bacterial plaque.

Periodontal disease can be prevented by removing the bacterial plaque bymeans of frequent and careful brushing and with the help of dental flossand, optionally, with the use of interdental or interproximal brushes,interdental stimulants and/or mouthwashes. However, daily cleaning isnot sufficient and it should be completed with professional cleaningcarried out by a dentist that will remove the hardened deposits thathave been formed and could not be removed by daily brushing.

The usual treatment of periodontal disease consists of scraping,curettage and radicular planing, which implies removing the plaque andthe calculus from the pockets around the teeth, polishing and planingthe roots with the aim that the gum adheres again to the tooth orcontracts enough to eliminate the pocket. However, the most advancedcases can require surgical treatment.

On the other hand, halitosis or bad breath, is a dysfunction caused bythe production and liberation of diverse volatile compounds, mainlyvolatile sulphurated compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulphide andmethyl mercaptan. The buccal cavity contains microorganisms, in general,anaerobic bacteria and gram (−) bacteria, responsible to a certainextent for the occurrence of halitosis. Diverse treatments exist tocombat halitosis, some based on the administration of synthetic productswhile others are based on the administration of natural products [seeSpanish patent application No. P9701545].

In spite of having diverse means to prevent and to treat bacterialplaque, and to treat halitosis, there continues to be a need to increasethe arsenal of remedies for combating the formation of bacterial plaqueand/or the presence of noxious microorganisms in the buccal cavity.

The present invention provides a solution for said existing necessitythat consists in employing olive oil in the preparation of an oralhygiene product intended for eliminating or reducing the bacterialplaque and/or noxious bacteria present in the buccal cavity. As aconsequence of this total or partial reduction of bacterial plaqueand/or of the bacteria present in the buccal cavity, the occurrence isdecreased of oral diseases, decay, periodontitis and its first stages(gingivitis), as well as halitosis associated with the production of VSCby microorganisms present in the buccal cavity.

Olive oil is a product habitually used in food although othertherapeutic and cosmetic applications are also known [see Spanish patentapplication No. 9801543]. Oleic acid [cis-9-octadecenoic acid] is amonounsaturated fatty acid that seems to be the responsible for numerousbeneficial effects of olive oil. It is very well known that oleic acidhelps in the prevention of arteriosclerosis, increases the level ofcholesterol connected with high density lipoproteins and reduces thelevel of cholesterol connected with low density lipoproteins, achievingin this way an appropriate manner of combating the occurrence ofcardiovascular diseases.

Olive oil contains, also, vitamins (A, E, F and K) and polyphenols andit seems to be that the antioxidant substances present in olive oil(vitamins A and E and polyphenols) provide the organism with a defencemechanism that delays aging, prevents arteriosclerosis, the appearanceof breast cancer, hepatic disorders and inflammation.

Olive oil is well tolerated by the stomach, has beneficial effects ongastritis and ulcers, is a cholagogue, activates the secretion ofpancreatic hormones and bile, and diminishes the incidence ofcholelythiasis. On the other hand, its excellent digestibility resultsin the complete absorption of nutritients, especially vitamins andmineral salts and it contributes the necessary oleates for the bonesystem. The mineralising effect that is exercised by olive oil isexcellent both in childhood and when aging, a stage in whichmineralisation problems usually appear.

Olive oil also has a beneficial effect on the brain and on the centralnervous system, it protects the body against the occurrence ofinfections and assists in the healing of internal and external tissue.

Besides the aforementioned therapeutic indications, olive oil hascosmetic applications and at the moment it is beginning to be used as askin protector, acting against the appearance of wrinkles and as alotion for dry and scaly skins. It is also used to restore shine andvigour to damaged hair and eyelashes and to recover the vitality offragile hair.

In the Mediterranean region olive oil is known for its capacity as apreservative and germicide (it is used to preserve fish, vegetables,cheese, etc.). In the case of such products as cheese or fish that cancontain a great quantity of bacteria when initially immersed in oliveoil, the bacteria count obtained is practically nil after a few hoursfrom their immersion in olive oil.

It has been found that, surprisingly, olive oil can be used to reduce orto eliminate bacterial plaque and/or the bacteria present in the buccalcavity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention refers to the employment of olive oil in thepreparation of a product intended for oral hygiene to eliminate orreduce bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccal cavity.

In the sense used in this description, the expression “ to eliminate orreduce bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccal cavity”means that bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccal cavitydecrease totally or partially to levels at which (i) they do not giverise to the occurrence of dental disease, or (ii) they do not give riseto the release of VSC in a sufficient quantity for bad breath to benoticed (typically 75 ppb of said VSC).

Olive oil is a commercial product that is obtained by pressing olives,the fruit of the olive tree [Olea europea L.]. The olive oil that can bepresent in the product intended for oral hygiene to eliminate or reducebacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in the buccal cavity, can beany olive oil, for example, a commercial olive oil, such as virgin oliveoil, refined olive oil and olive oil (a blend of virgin and refinedolive oils whose maximum acidity is 1° and the peroxide index of whichis less than 15, preferably less than 10).

The product intended for oral hygiene can be any product that can beused in oral cleansing and/or disinfection and it can adopt any form ofpresentation, for example, toothpaste, mouthwash, oral spray or inhaler,chewing gum, etc.

For the development of the present invention it has been essential toanalyse the properties of the microorganisms that are the cause ofdental diseases and the production of VSC.

The analysis of the most frequently isolated microorganisms in bacterialplaque has shown the presence of numerous lipophile microorganisms,understanding such to be those microorganisms whose cellular coat isrich in lipids or substances that have an affinity for lipids, forexample, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Actinomyces viscosus,Actinomyces naeslundii, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Streptococcussalivarus, Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans, some of whichare responsible for the production of VSC and of periodontitis whileothers, mainly S. mutans, are those responsible for the occurrence ofcaries.

Also, the identification of the bacterial species associated withperiodontal disease is a key aspect for the diagnosis and tracking ofthe disease. The most frequently identified periodontal pathogens arePorphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Actinobacillusactinomycetem-comitans, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Eikenella corrodens,Bacteroides frosythus, Capnocytophaga spp. In short, the following havebeen identified:

in association with periodontitis in adults: Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Bacteroides frosythus,Prevotella intermedia and Eikenella corrodens;

in association with prepubertal periodontitis: Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans and Capnocytophaga spp.;

in association with juvenile periodontitis: Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Prevotellaintermedia; and

in association with rapid progressive periodontitis: Actinobacillusactinomycetemcomitans, Eikenella corrodens and Bacteroides frosythus.

A common property of the bacteria mentioned previously as responsiblefor periodontal disease is that they are gram-negative [gram (−)]bacteria when submitted to staining with crystal violet.

Numerous trials carried out with diverse products showed that,surprisingly, olive oil was a specially appropriate product for reducingor eliminating bacterial plaque and/or the bacteria present in thebuccal cavity, some of them responsible for the occurrence of cavitiesand others for the production of VSC, a significant improvement beingobtained in this way in dental health due to a reduction in theoccurrence of gingivitis and periodontitis and tooth decay, as well as areduction of halitosis due to the production of VSC.

Various trials showed that olive oil can act as a bacteriostatic informulas of products for oral hygiene with an average content of oliveoil, typically 1% to 60% by weight with respect to the total of theformula, or as a germicide in formulas of products for oral hygiene witha high content of olive oil, typically 15% to 70% by weight with respectto the total of the formula. It can be observed that, in certainconcentrations, olive oil can act well as a bacteriostatic or as abactericide.

There has been surprise at the unusual and astonishing capacity of oliveoil, that constitutes the essential object of this invention, to reducetotally or partially the population of bacteria present in the buccalcavity and/or in bacterial plaque, fundamentally, anaerobic and gram (−)bacteria, microorganisms that cause the occurrence of dental diseasesand halitosis.

Although there is no wish to be bound to any particular theory, it seemsthat the high content in lipids of the cellular wall of the gram (−)bacteria make said walls hydrophobic and capable of being dissolved in alipid medium. This reason could explain why a medium rich in oils ismore effective when eliminating gram (−) bacteria than an aqueousmedium. It seems that the gram (−) bacteria have greater affinity forolive oil than for the aqueous medium of the saliva whereby they wouldadhere to or be trapped in the oil and would be eliminated together withthis by rinsing the mouth.

The employment of olive oil in the preparation of a product intended fororal hygiene to eliminate or reduce bacterial plaque and/or bacteriapresent in the buccal cavity contributes numerous advantages, such as:

providing good cleansing, not abrasive, of the cavity and teeth carryingoff the lipophilic microorganisms;

reducing the absolute quantity of bacterial plaque both supra—andinfra-gingival with a significant improvement in the periodontal health(reduction of cavities, gingivitis and improvement in periodontitis);and

reducing the occurrence of halitosis by reducing the quantity of VSCarising from the microorganisms that produce VSC by blocking orinactivating these microorganisms and/or by neutralising the VSC, onceemitted by the producing microorganisms, so that they are not detectedby smell.

The invention also provides a product for oral hygiene appropriate foreliminating or reducing bacterial plaque and/or bacteria present in thebuccal cavity that contains olive oil, hereafter product for oralhygiene of the invention. Preferably, olive oil is present in theproduct for oral hygiene of the invention in a quantity of between 1%and 70% by weight with respect to the total of the product.

The product for oral hygiene of the invention can adopt any form ofpresentation, for example, toothpaste, mouthwash, oral spray or inhaler,chewing gum, etc., for which its formula will include the components,additives and appropriate vehicles for its form of presentation.

By way of illustration, when the product for oral hygiene of theinvention is presented in the form of a toothpaste, this can contain,besides the olive oil, other compounds that furnish some specialproperty thereto, together with the appropriate vehicles and additives,for example, sources of fluorine, abrasives, surfactants, moisturisers,thickeners, perfuming, flavourings, preservatives, colorants, whiteners,etc.

The abrasives or polishers are used as rubbing agents, so that theyremove, together with the action of the brush, the adhering residue,without damaging either the enamel or the dentine that, on occasions, isuncovered on the tooth. Traditionally calcium salts have been used, forexample, calcium carbonate, tetra calcium pyrophosphate, dicalciumphosphate, calcium orthophosphate, calcium metaphosphate, or sodiumsalts, for example sodium metaphosphate. Due especially to theincompatibility that occurs between calcium salts and fluorides, otherabrasives are now being used among which are certain silica forms.Traditionally synthetic silicas and silicates have been used that wereobtained in 2 different ways, by means of a pyrogenic process or bymeans of a gelification process. The silicas obtained by the pyrogenicmethod had only thickening properties while the gelified ones behavedboth as thickeners and as polishers. However, due to technologicallimitations, those products proved not very flexible. With the arrivalof the new precipitated silicas and silicates, the precise control hasbecome possible of the structure of these silicas through CST,Controlled Structure Technology. The result is the availability of abroad range of silicas that offer great versatility as thickeners andabrasives.

The surfactants are used in a variable concentration, according to thedegree of foaming wanted, typically around 0.5% to 2% by weight withrespect to the total of the formula, since, when certain limits aresurpassed, they contribute to the genesis and progression ofperiodontopathies. Among those most used are sodium lauryl sulphate,sodium lauryl sarcosinate and tego-betaines.

The moisturisers are mandatory components in toothpaste and theirmission is to maintain the initial consistency of the preparation,preventing it from setting inside the tube, and at the same timefavouring the incorporation of the toothpaste in the cleaning water. Themoisturisers most used at the moment are sorbitol, glycerine,polyethylenglycol and propylenglycol.

The thickeners are hydrophilic colloids the purpose of which in thetoothpaste consists in avoiding the separation of the liquid componentsand the solids. Examples of thickeners are the gums, tragacanth,xanthan, arabic, as well as carrageen and agar—agar.

The aroma and the flavour remaining in the mouth after using atoothpaste are two features of great importance, for which it isessential that they remain unaltered in the toothpaste during itsmanufacture and later conservation and use. Any of the aromas can beused that are admitted by the legislation.

Sweetening or flavouring is important because it brings the taste of thepreparation into harmony with the aroma. Frequently, due to themoisturiser, for example, glycerine, sorbitol, toothpastes have afaintly sweet flavour that is reinforced with sodium saccharin, intypical concentrations from 0.05% to 0.25% by weight.

Usually it is necessary to add preservatives to the formula since themoisturiser and certain mucilages favour the development of microbialflora. Among the preservatives used are those derived from benzoic acid,formol and phenol.

As colorant, any can be used of those admitted by the legislation.

Toothpaste can also contain other ingredients, depending on theproperties added to those characteristic of a dentifrice. By way ofexample, for their properties in the elimination of proteinaceousresidue deposited on rough surfaces with maximum care, proteolyticenzymes can be included, for example, papain and chymopapain, ascleansing agents and teeth whiteners. Also, they can incorporatevegetable extracts for their cosmetic and therapeutic properties for thegums and tissues of the buccal cavity. Vitamins, in particular, theantioxidant vitamins, for example, vitamin E, and other vitamins thatare active in the regeneration of injured gums, for example, vitamin B5,can be included in the formula for a more complete care; equally, anyliposoluble vitamin that demonstrates a beneficial action for the softor hard tissues of the mouth could be included in the formula. Forcombating the occurrence of cavities, fluorinated compounds can beincluded, for example, sodium or potassium fluoride, sodiummonofluoro-phosphate, etc. Xylitol, for its proven anti-cariesproperties, and because it is not metabilised by the bacteria that causethe cavity, is included more and more in toothpaste formulas.

The anticariogenic effect of a toothpaste provided by this invention(that contains olive oil), based on the removal of the cariogenicbacteria S. mutans [gram (+)] by the olive oil, can be improved by theincorporation in the formula of xylitol (natural acariogenic sweetener),typically in a quantity of between 0.2% and 40% by weight with respectto the total of the formula, and/or sodium fluoride (the most effectivesource of fluorine since it dissociates fully in solution), typically ina quantity of between 0.15% and 0.33% by weight with respect to thetotal of the formula. In this case, an abrasive agent, silica type,could be used to avoid calcium compounds since sodium fluoride does notallow the use of the latter.

The great non-abrasive cleansing action achieved with a toothpasteprovided by this invention is independent of the source of fluorineemployed, for example, sodium fluoride or sodium monofluoro-phosphate,although in this last case, calcium-based abrasives could be used.Alternatively combinations can be used of sodium monofluoro-phosphateand sodium fluoride as the source of fluorine.

In a preferred embodiment the abrasive present in the toothpaste is anew generation silica, produced by computer, of the so-called highstructure silicas (CST), which the more oil absorbent they are, the lessabrasive they are and, also, they have better thickening or agglutinantpower. This new aspect of the absorption capacity of olive oil in highstructure silicas, together with the inclusion in the formula ofsurfactant agents, facilitates the dispersion of the oil in theformulas, be they solid, semisolid or liquid.

A toothpaste that illustrates a toothpaste provided by this inventionhas the following composition:

Component Percentage by weight w.r.t. the total (%) Olive oil  1–70Abrasive 10–20 Moisturiser 20–50 Surfactant 1–2 Thickener 0.5–2  Sweetener s.q. (sufficient quantity) Preservative s.q. Water s.q. for100

The different products provided by the present invention, for example,toothpastes, mouthwashes, oral sprays or inhalers, chewing gum, etc.,can be obtained by employing conventional techniques known by theexperts in the matter.

The following examples serve to illustrate the invention and should notbe considered as limiting the scope thereof.

EXAMPLE 1 Toothpaste with Olive Oil

Toothpastes were prepared whose formulas (1) and (2) are shown in Table1, by intimately blending the different components in the appropriatequantities, by conventional methods.

Chart 1 Toothpaste with olive oil Percentage by weight (%) ComponentFormula 1 Formula 2 Sorbitol 40.000 18.740 Silica 18.000 27.000 Water15.140 8.000 Xylitol 10.000 10.000 Olive oil 5.000 30.000 Glycerine5.000 1.000 Buffer (a) 3.200 1.600 Aroma 1.000 1.000 Gum (b) 1.000 1.000Titanium dioxide 0.900 0.900 Sodium fluoride 0.320 0.320 Colorant 0.1600.160 Sodium saccharin 0.130 0.130 Preservative (c) 0.100 0.100Surfactant (d) 0.050 0.050 (a) The buffer can be, for example, thatformed by citric acid/potassium citrate, or by monopotassiumphosphate/tetrapotassium pyrophosphate or whatever other used intoothpaste formulas. (b) The gum can be gum arabic, xanthan gum,carrageen or cellulose gum. (c) The preservative can be diazolidinylurea, imidazolidinyl urea, benzoic acid and salts thereof. (d) Olivem ®300 [PEG-7 olive oil, distributed by Quimibio], PEG-40 hydrogenatedcastor oil, and the betaine CAPB [Goldsmith].

EXAMPLE 2 Mouthwash with Olive Oil

The mouthwashes (1) and (2) whose formulas are shown in Table 2 wereprepared by intimately mixing the different components in theappropriate quantities, by means of conventional techniques.

TABLE 2 Mouthwash with olive oil Percentage by weight (%) ComponentFormula 1 Formula 2 Water 78.469 8.970 Xylitol 10.000 10.000 Sodiumsaccharin 0.030 0.030 Olive oil 5.000 40.000 Glycerine 2.000 31.599Aroma 2.000 2.000 Buffer (a) 2.000 2.000 Preservative (b) 0.400 0.400Surfactant (c) 0.100 5.000 Colorant 0.001 0.001 (a) The buffer can be,for example, that formed by citric acid/potassium citrate, or bymonopotassium phosphate/tetrapotassium pyrophosphate or whatever otherused in toothpaste formulas. (b) The preservative can be diazolidinylurea, imidazolidinyl urea, benzoic acid and salts thereof. (c) Olivem ®300, PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil, CAPB.

EXAMPLE 3 Trial of Bactericidal Effectiveness of a Toothpaste ContainingOlive Oil

This trial was carried out to measure the bactericidal effectiveness ofa toothpaste containing olive oil. In conducting this trial the standardfollowed was D.G.H.M. v.01.01.81 2.2, suitably adapted.

The microorganisms on which it was tested were Staphylococcus aureusATCC 6538 and Candida albicans ATCC 102318.

The suspension of the microorganism was prepared from cultures of 24hours at 38° C. on Trypticase Soy Broth (TSB). The sufficiency of thenumber of colony-forming units (CFU)/ml (108–109) was confirmed by meansof cultivation on Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) at 37° C., 48 hours, byextraction of the corresponding decimal dilutions.

0.1 ml of the suspension of the microorganism was mixed intimately with10 ml of the sample to be tested, for example, a toothpaste like thatdescribed in Example 1. After a contact period of 0.5, 1, 2 and 5minutes, 0.1 ml of each of the sample/inoculant mixtures was taken andsubcultured in 10 ml of TSB at 37° C. for 72 hours. The reading (+)indicates “clouding” [growth], and (−) indicates “ no clouding” [absenceof growth].

To check or demonstrate an eventual inhibition of growth, all the tubesthat did not present clouding were reinoculated with a suspension of themicroorganism (0.1 ml in TBS 10²–10³). If clouding did not appear aftera further 24 hours, the sample under test continued to be present inactive form, since the inactivation was insufficient and the trialshould be repeated with another medium or form of inactivation.

Table 3 shows the results obtained in the trials carried out on thedifferent samples.

TABLE 3 Bactericidal activity of a toothpaste containing olive oilConcentration of the Concentration Inoculant Time sample 100% Inoculant(CFU/ml) (min) (V/V) S. aureus 3.5 · 10⁸ 0.5 (+) ATCC 6538 1 (+) 2 (+) 5(+) C. albicans 3.2 · 10⁸ 0.5 (+) ATCC 102318 1 (+) 2 (+) 5 (+) (+):Clouding (positive growth) under trial conditions, with positiveactuation of the inhibitor.

The results obtained show the bactericidal capacity of the samplestested.

EXAMPLE 4 Clinical Evaluation Study of the Plaque Index and of theGingivitis Index

This trial was carried out to evaluate effectiveness in the eliminationof bacterial plaque and, in parallel, in the decrease of bleeding fromthe cut as a first sign of gingivitis.

Sixty (60) individuals were selected that were divided randomly into 3subgroups of 20 persons each, the first subgroup (Group I) beingrequired to use water for brushing teeth, the second subgroup (Group II)were to use olive oil (100%) for tooth-brushing, and the third subgroup(Group III) were to use sunflower oil (100%) for tooth-brushing [asrepresentative of other oil types].

The individuals were kept without means of oral hygiene for 4 days,after which they received brushing instructions according to groups, 3times a day, 3 minutes every time, for 15 days. After that time hadelapsed, readings were taken of the plaque index according to theTuresky method (modification of the Quigley-Hein index with staining byeritrosine).

Also, a reading was taken of the cut bleeding index, based on the factthat gingival haemorrhage is the first sign of gingivitis. The valuationwas carried out with a periodontal probe and assessed in the followingway:

0: No bleeding

1: Bleeding

2: Bleeding+reddening

3: Bleeding+reddening+swelling

4: Bleeding+reddening+edema

5: Spontaneous bleeding+reddening+edema

The results obtained showed, in a statistically significant manner, thatGroup II, which used olive oil obtained a smaller bleeding index andgreater bacterial plaque elimination that the groups that used water orsunflower oil. The results demonstrated an improvement of 170% and theyshowed that olive oil is a positively suitable substance for achievingtotal elimination of plaque and combating gingivitis as the first signof periodontal pathology.

EXAMPLE 5 Clinical Study of Effectiveness in Eliminating SupragingivalBacterial Plaque

This trial was carried out to evaluate effectiveness in the eliminationof supragingival bacterial plaque.

A group of 40 volunteers underwent random selection to divide them into2 subgroups. They were instructed in habits of oral hygiene, mainlybrushing with the Bass technique, for 3 minutes, twice a day and, afterrinsing with water, rinsing with a specific mouthwash.

Group A (20 individuals) used:

-   -   a commercial household toothpaste with sodium fluoride and        sodium lauryl sulphate as surfactant; and    -   Listerine® mouthwash with alcohol.

Group B (20 individuals) was instructed in the same techniques butinstead used:

-   -   a toothpaste specially formulated with olive oil and sodium        fluoride [Example 1, Table 1, formula 1]; and    -   a mouthwash specially formulated with olive oil and a surfactant        (solution or aqueous dispersion) [Example 2, Table 2, formula        1].

Both groups were instructed to abstain from carrying out any form oforal hygiene for 3 days, after which (day 1) each group began to followthe above procedure.

On day 15 readings were taken of the quantity of fresh plaque, takenwith a curette, of incisors, canines and premolars (between gingivalline and incisal for vestibular) and of interproximal area.

The bacterial plaque collection in each volunteer had a standardisedduration of 10 minutes.

The examiners were unaware of which of the two groups of products hadbeen allocated to the volunteers.

The final results showed a statistically significant greater reductionin quantity of plaque (97%) in the group of volunteers that usedtoothpaste and mouthwash with olive oil, in comparison with aconventional toothpaste with sodium fluoride and sodium lauryl sulphateas surfactant (60% plaque reduction).

1. A toothpaste for reducing bacterial plaque comprising anticariogeniceffective amounts of olive oil, xylitol and a source of fluoride,wherein said toothpaste does not contain parsley oil.
 2. The toothpasteaccording to claim 1 wherein said toothpaste comprises xylitol in anamount of 0.2 to 40% by weight and sodium fluoride in an amount of 0.15to 0.33% by weight.
 3. The toothpaste according to any one of claims 1and 2, wherein said toothpaste additionally contains high structuresilica.
 4. A method for improving the anticariogenic effect of atoothpaste formulation comprising olive oil and a source of fluoridethat comprises adding a sufficient amount of xylitol to said formulationto provide a decrease in plaque formulation in comparison to thatobtained with a toothpaste formulation which is substantially free ofsaid xylitol wherein said toothpaste formulation does not containparsley oil.
 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said toothpasteformulation further comprises at least one high structure silica addedas an abrasive.